SmoothHiQ ddl Diameter=13 Spatial Smoothing, eliminate noise MPEG artifacts

[Tom4]

I have used VirtualDub SmoothHiQ.vdf on very poor quality webcam with acceptable results.

Settings used range from: SmoothHiQ(9,59,128,"weighted")
First Image: SmoothHIQ Setting 1.jpg

To: SmoothHiQ(13,60,254,"weighted")
Second Image: SmoothHIQ Setting 3.jpg

Based on: http://rationalqm.us/hiq/smoothhiq.html

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Can anybody help with correct user codes for Avisynth SmoothHIQ.DLL

I am not sure how to translate the above settings used in VDub to SmoothHIQ.DLL code for Avisynth.
Is there a page for Avisynth SmoothHIQ.DLL codes?

My efforts have not yielded a result with Avisynth SmoothHIQ.DLL
AviSource("C:\A\cam1.avi")
ConvertToYUY2()
loadplugin("C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth\plugins\LoadPluginEx.dll")
loadplugin("C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth\plugins\SmoothHiQ.dll")
SmoothHiQ (13,60,254,1) *Note: the last input 1 is just a guess !?

The large Diameter Spatial Smoothing, elimination of noise and MPEG artifacts make this plugin perfect in VDub.
So far I have not found a functional replacement for Avisynth.

Any ideas.

[jagabo]

In VirtualDud, add the filter and set it up the way you want. Use File -> Save Processing Settings. Then open the resulting .vdscript file in notepad and see the filter's settings. Use those in AviSynth.

Oh, you also have to convert to RGB32 before calling a VirtualDub filter.

[Tom4]

Very handy!
I will try it a bit later.
The resulting code is close to the logic I was considering.
This method will help me understand a bit faster

VirtualDub.audio.SetSource(1);
VirtualDub.audio.SetMode(0);
VirtualDub.audio.SetInterleave(1,500,1,0,0);
VirtualDub.audio.SetClipMode(1,1);
VirtualDub.audio.SetEditMode(1);
VirtualDub.audio.SetConversion(0,0,0,0,0);
VirtualDub.audio.SetVolume();
VirtualDub.audio.SetCompression();
VirtualDub.audio.EnableFilterGraph(0);
VirtualDub.video.SetInputFormat(0);
VirtualDub.video.SetOutputFormat(7);
VirtualDub.video.SetMode(3);
VirtualDub.video.SetSmartRendering(0);
VirtualDub.video.SetPreserveEmptyFrames(0);
VirtualDub.video.SetFrameRate2(0,0,1);
VirtualDub.video.SetIVTC(0, 0, 0, 0);
VirtualDub.video.SetCompression();
VirtualDub.video.filters.Clear();
VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("smart smoother HiQuality (2.11)");
VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[0].Config(13, 60, 0, 254, 1, 0, 1, 0);
VirtualDub.audio.filters.Clear();

loadplugin("C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth\plugins\SmoothHiQ.dll")
SmoothHiQ (13, 60, 0, 254, 1, 0, 1, 0)

[Tom4]

VirtualDub Error Message

[jagabo]

Try naming the filter when you load the plugin. Then call the filter by that name.

LoadVirtualDubPlugin(C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth\plugins\SmoothHiQ.dll","vdub_SmoothHiQ") 

WhateverSource("filename.ext")

ConvertToRGB32()
vdub_SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 0, 254, 1, 0, 1, 0)

Also, make sure you use all 32 bit components or all 64 bit components. For example, 32 bit AviSynth, 32 bit VirtualDub filters, 32 bit editor/encoder.

[Tom4]

SmoothHiQ will only load using 4 parameters such as (13,60,254,1)
SmoothHiQ.dll is only YUY2

If the last parameter is set to "0" an error comes up that:
Avisynth read Error:
SmoothHiQ: Amount must be more then 0 and less then 256.

This could suggest the 4 parameter code is correct?
Problems SmoothHiQ.dll is not visibly working, or changing the video after processing.

I have tried some Avisynth plugins said to replace it, but nothing seems to have the same effect as VDub SmoothHiQ.vfd
This could be not knowing how to convert these extreme settings over to another Avisynth plugin?

Add: My goal was to use all Avisynth plugins.

Any suggestions?

[jagabo]

It works for me with 8 arguments:

LoadVirtualdubPlugin("G:\Program Files\Virtualdub\plugins\SmoothHiQ.vdf", "vdub_SmoothHiQ")

AviSource("aelita.avi")

ConvertToRGB32(matrix="rec601")
StackHorizontal(last, vdub_SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 0, 254, 1, 0, 1, 0))
ConvertToYV12(matrix="rec601")

Maybe you have a different version? Mine is very old (I don't use AviSynth for filtering or encoding anymore), from 2002.

[Tom4]

Yes, but you are not using SmoothHiQ.dll in Avisynth !

[jagabo]

I thought you were using the VirtualDub plugin in AviSynth.

[Tom4]

No worries, someone using Avisynth would have gone down this road.
Be interested to hear from users if the SmoothHiQ.dll for Avisynth is the functional equivalent of .vdf version?
Also, who made the SmoothHiQ.dll

[Tom4]

SmootherHiQ.dll for Avisynth was made by Klaus Post

Found the code documentation here: http://web.archive.org/web/20040611013235/http://cultact-server.novi.dk/kpo/avisynth/s...th_hiq_as.html

The Code should have 5 parameters?
I guess this naild down my problem that either the dll version is not the same or I am making another error.

[jagabo]

Where did you get the AviSynth version? I didn't see it with a quick search.

[Tom4]

http://avisynth.nl/index.php/External_filters

Scroll halfway down, then up a little to Denoisers/SmootherHiQ
VirtualDub's Smart Smoother High Quality for AviSynth, see archived documentation.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040611013235/http://cultact-server.novi.dk/kpo/avisynth/s...th_hiq_as.html
YV12 Plugin sh0dan

With VDub .vdf version "Diameter 13" works very well on poor quality pixilated video.
With Avisynth ddl version "Diameter 13" doesn't work and the recommended setting of "Diameter 7" is not large enough to work with poor quality video.

I have failed to achieve similar results to .vdf with .ddl version!
Maybe someone can add to this

[jagabo]

That filter takes 5 arguments. And they are as described in the documentation. But at Diameter=13 it messes up the chroma channels. And messes up the luma with large values of Maintain Difference. I wouldn't use it for anything. But if you want to use it at Diameter=13 with color material try this:

Y = SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
U = UtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
V = VtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
YtoUV(U, V, Y)

Tune to your liking.

[Tom4]

That filter takes 5 arguments. And they are as described in the documentation. But at Diameter=13 it messes up the chroma channels. And messes up the luma with large values of Maintain Difference. I wouldn't use it for anything. But if you want to use it at Diameter=13 with color material try this:

Y = SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
U = UtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
V = VtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 60, 60, 256, 5)
YtoUV(U, V, Y)

Tune to your liking.

As I pointed out previous posts, The Avisynth SmoothHiQ.dll is no good for large diameter smoothing.
An Avisynth dll functionally equivalent to VirtualDub .vdf version would be very handy.

Because it could be placed "before other Avisynth plugins" called to script.
I will send the author an email and ask.

Thanks for your input

[jagabo]

The script I gave (change the last argument from 5 to 0) gives results very similar to the VirtualDub version. Personally, I rarely use 2d noise reduction. It's way too damaging to the picture.

[Tom4]

I have a slight variation that is very similar.

Klaus Post recommended settings are Luma threshold: 15-25 and Chroma threshold: 15-35.
Extrapolating on a linear multiple around the average 50|70 = 60. Ha.

loadplugin("C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth\plugins\SmoothHiQ.dll")
ConvertToYUY2
Y = SmoothHiQ(13, 50, 70, 256, 0)
U = UtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 50, 70, 256, 0)
V = VtoY().SmoothHiQ(13, 50, 70, 256, 0)
YtoUV(U, V, Y)

Much the same!

I have been experimenting with progressive video.
The poor quality doesn't benefit from sharpening, at least to my discern.
Individual frames are improved a bit with SmoothHiQ.dll
From the position of a single plugin addressing specific problem it does the job.

What do you use for smoothing webcam videos that look like Lego Land productions?

[jagabo]

It sounds like you have block artifacts from too much MJPEG compression. Try using a deblocking filter like deblock_qed().

Can you set your webcam to give better quality? Then you may not have to filter it.

[Tom4]

Can you set your webcam to give better quality? Then you may not have to filter it.

No, its old footage.

It sounds like you have block artifacts from too much MJPEG compression. Try using a deblocking filter like deblock_qed().

Thanks, I downloaded it to try.

I am more interested in Avisynth from the prospective of seeing what can be done.
Occasionally I extract frames from broadcasts and edit things in.
VDub Cartoon Plugin is also interesting, it has similar features to SmoothHiQ.

Now I have downloaded the program it may not be used for months or years, I just like playing with tec.
The program and plugins are small, but the time and learning curve to find them wasn't so much fun.

Here are folders I made and downloaded plugins for, the version numbers will be for another day.
It is not meant to be an all inclusive list, but Let me know if you have suggestions.

Thanks